[ Johnny Bayersdorffer and His Jazzola Novelty Orch. ]
b. Sept. 4, 1899, New Orleans, LA, USA. d. Nov. 14, 1969, New Orleans, LA, USA, age 70
This New Orleans band was active in the early 1920s and several musicians who would later rise to some prominence passed through its ranks, including Nappy Lamare and Tom Brown. Bayersdorfer (trumpet/Leader) and bandmember Tom Brown composed and recorded a tune called "I Wonder Where My Easy Rider's Ridin' Now?", here digitally re-engineered by Mr Verne Buland. This is a photograph of the "Jazzola Song", and here's a photograph of the Jazzola Novelty Orch., when this tune was recorded. In the band at the time were: Johnny Bayersdorffer-Leader and Cornet, "Chink" Martin-Brass Bass (the Sousaphone in our photo), Nunzio Scaglioni-Clarinet, Tom Brown-Trombone, Johnny Miller-Piano, Steve Loyacano-Banjo, and Leo Adde on Drums.

      [ Sidney Bechet Orch ]
b: New Orleans, LA, USA. May 14, 1897. d: Paris, Fra. May 14, 1959. (His birthday)
Click here for picture of a young Sidney Bechet, and here's Sidney, in his somewhat more mature years, posing with a Clarinet, instead of his 'trademark' Alto Sax.
Leonard Feather reports that Sidney borrowed his elder brother's (Leonard) clarinet at age six, and two years later became a protege of George Baquet, clarinetist with John Robichaux's Orch. Later, he also received tutoring from 'Big Eye' Louis Nelson (see Imperial Band in Jazz Overview link on BigBands page). At a young age, he played with the Silver Bell Band, which was led by his older brother, Leonard. Sidney played in many of the old New Orleans jazz bands, while still in his teens, and continued learning from his fellow musicians such as Bunk Johnson, who had introduced him to the Eagle Band, in 1912. Still, it should be noted that Bechet could not read music and never developed that skill throughout his long career.

In 1919 he went to Europe with Will Marion Cook's Orchestra but was soon deported because of a brush with the law. After returning to the USA he joined a show featuring Bessie Smith. It was here that he started playing soprano saxophone.

He finally fronted his own band in 1924, but in 1925 played briefly with Duke Ellington and again toured Europe with 'The Black Revue'. After that Bechet was never far from a stage. In 1927, he toured to Russia with Tommy Ladnier's band. In 1928, he returned to Paris with the Noble Sissle Orchestra, where a shooting "scrape" earned him an 11 month sojourn in a Paris jail cell. Basically, he played on and off with Sissle's orchestra between 1928 to 1938, with ocassional stints in other bands including Ellington's 1932 orchestra, where he played along side of Johnny Hodges.

Bechet 'retired' from the music business in 1938, opening a tailor shop in New York City. He must have been a "lousy" tailor because he was again leading a trio in "Nick's" - a well known New York "jazz joint", as well as concertizing, and playing with Eddie Condon's group. With the end of WW2 hostilities, he opened a music school (in Brooklyn, NY). It was an interesting concept because Sidney couldn't read music. In 1951, Bechet took up permanent residence in France where he married his third wife, a German woman. He also kept a mistress who bore him a son. Sidney continued to play and record until he died, on his birthday, in 1959. It should be noted that he was a very popular entertainer on the French Stage and in clubs.

Bried Chronology:
=================
1905 Played with John Robichaux Orch.
1905 Played in Freddie Keppards Band.
1912 The Eagle Band (Buddie Petit)
1916 King Oliver's Olympia Band
1917 Freddie Keppards Band (In Chicago, Now)
1919 Will Marion Cook's Southern Syncopated Orch (in New York City, and European tour.)
1921 Bennie Peyton Orch (in Paris, Fra.)
1922 Recorded with Clarence Williams Blue Five and sessions
        with Blues singers; Rosetta Crawford and Mamie Smith. (Usually under Clarence Williams direction.
1925 With Duke Ellington Orch.
1925 In the "Black Revue" which Toured Europe.
1926-7 In Moscow with Tommy Ladnier Orch.
1928 - '38 In Noble Sissle's Band in Paris, Fra ('28) then on and off in US and Europe (with Sissle). Also led
         his own bands from time to time.
1938 Left music business and opened a tailor shop in New York City)
1939-40 Appeared in "Nick's" in New York City (Led a Trio)
1940's Town Hall concerts with Eddie Condon. Late 40's lived in Paris, France. (Where he was also a
          successful vaudevillian, in the Chevalier Class.)

His musical impact was far reaching, his playing and abilities as a leader influenced the style of orchestras such as Duke Ellington. His extraodinary life was detailed in his autobiography, "Treat It Gentle" and years later John Chilton wrote, "Sidney Bechet The Wizard of Jazz." which described Bechet's place in jazz history.

Louis Armstrong said Bechet's tone was deep rooted and pure like, "a jug of golden honey." Duke Ellington wrote in his book, "Music Is My Mistress" that "Sidney Bechet was one of the truly great originals. I shall never forget the first time I heard him play at the Howard Theater in Washington around 1921. I had never heard anything like it. It was a completely new sound and conception to me."

Throughout the last few decades jazz critics have suggested the Bechet's concept is best heard in the rich tones and vibrations in the song "Blue Horizon." Bechet wrote the song and would record it often during his life. The recording of December 20, 1944 is now available on CD. This wonderful session includes Sidney DeParis (t), Vic Dickenson (tb), Art Hodes (p), Pops Foster (b) and Manzie Johnson (dr)

      [ Louis Bellson Orch ]
né: Luigi Paulino Balassoni
born: Rock Falls, IL, USA. July 26, 1924, USA.
Drums, Arranger, Composer.
Louis Bellson's career started at just about the same time that the Swing Era started. And, a dozen years after the end of that glorious era, Louis was still swinging with his own big band.

Brief Chronology:
=================
        Worked with Ted Fio Rito
1942 Worked with Benny Goodman
1943: Entered US Army
         again with Benny Goodman after discharge from U.S. Army
1946: He developed the concept of using dual Bass Drums
1947-9: With the Tommy Dorsey Orch, Drums
1950: Sextet with Charlie Shavers and Terry Gibbs
1950: With Harry James Orch.
1951: Quits Harry James (along with Juan Tizol and Willie Smith) and they join the Duke Ellington Orch. While
          with the Duke, he did the arrangements for the "Hawk Talks", "Skin Deep", and for "Ting-a-Ling". Some
          critics feel that Louis re-vitalized the Duke's orchestra, with his great, swinging arrangements.
1953: Leaves Duke Ellington Band; marries singer Pearl Bailey. Tours with her doing club and theatre dates.
1955: (Feb.) Visited Europe w. JATP,
1955; (Aug. to Aug 1956) featured w. Dorsey Bros. orch.
         Then free-lances as drummer, composer,arranger, including; score for Broadway show in 1958.
         Continued touring with wife, Pearl Bailey.
1959: (March) Formed his own Big Band. (More than a dozen years after the demise of the swing era.)
         Plays with Count asie; and with a studio group for Johnny Carson.
1962: Louis is still touring with his band
1966: Louis replaces Buddy Rich in a new band that Harry James brings to NYC. Another well known sideman,
         Corky Corcoran, was also in the band.
1978-9: Bellson tours with another of his big bands. (So did another drummer, Buddy Rich.)

      [ Broadway Dance Orch ]
Currently No Information Available

  "Toot Toot Tootsie", (528 kb): Broadway Dance Orchestra. Rec'd: May 1923